Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach capped off his mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on economic cooperation with the government of Abu Dhabi.

'This agreement marks a new era of economic cooperation with Abu Dhabi,' said Stelmach. 'Our strong energy sectors have given a solid foundation to our partnership and we're moving forward with new trade and investment opportunities. This will bring benefits to both economies.'

Stelmach signed the agreement with His Excellency Nasser Ahmed Alsowaidi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. The agreement will set the stage for stronger economic relations between Alberta and Abu Dhabi through closer cooperation in a number of areas, including energy, environmental protection, agriculture, education, technology and innovation.

Earlier in the week, Stelmach was a panelist at the prestigious World Future Energy Summit. The four-day summit is one of the world's leading conferences on responsible energy development and production.

'I was truly honoured to attend the summit and meet one-on-one with a number of influential decision-makers from around the world, including the Minister of Economic Affairs for the Kingdom of Netherlands, South Korea Vice Minister of Trade and Energy, and Minister of New and Renewable Energy for India,' said Stelmach.

During the summit, Stelmach also signed an MOU on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) with Masdar - a wholly owned company of the Government of Abu Dhabi.

'Carbon capture and storage is at the heart of Alberta's plan to combat climate change and there is much we can share with Abu Dhabi,' said Stelmach, who notes Abu Dhabi is also making tremendous strides in developing CCS technology. 'This agreement will help both of our jurisdictions to further advance energy research and innovation.'

The agreement commits Alberta and Abu Dhabi to share information on CCS technologies and policies, support projects of mutual interest, and explore opportunities for collaboration between public and private partners in both jurisdictions.

While in Abu Dhabi, Stelmach also met with a number of public and private sector leaders, including Ministers of Energy and Foreign Trade for the UAE, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and CEO of Etihad Airways. In addition, the Premier attended the announcement of a new sour gas conference that will alternate yearly between Abu Dhabi and Alberta.

The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.

'It was great to share Alberta's story with so many international dignitaries. I certainly made clear that Albertans are serious about how we develop our energy resources - we are leaders in clean energy research and development, and our policies set the bar in environmental management.' Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.

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